SHORT SHAFTED!

[Mowbizz]

Apparently dealer gave the wrong mid pto shaft when delivering my new BX5455HD snowblower. Installed it yesterday while prepping the BX25D for winter and the shaft is SHORT BY 2" when hooked up to the mid pto output shaft. Hopefully it's just a "bring the shaft back and get the right one" deal...
This shaft measures 44.5" end to end. Anyone have one of these setups? Of course the dealer was closed yesterday and today. I'll bring it back tomorrow but would like to know the actual measurement of the shaft I need. I took pics of the situation...any help is appreciated with the correct measurement so I can tell the salesman what to give me. Thank you!

 

[Mowbizz]

Pictures

 

[RCW]

That shaft may be correct.

There’s two different lengths on the front hitch also.

 

[Mowbizz]

That shaft may be correct.

There’s two different lengths on the front hitch also.

Well, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[Mowbizz]

That shaft may be correct.

There’s two different lengths on the front hitch also.

You’re correct. I found subframe/quick hitch manual and they show the “driveline” as the same part but they show 2 kits one with an 11.5” output shaft and one with a 14 7/8”

 

[Mowbizz]

Hmmm…makes the “cheese” more binding…I’ll be at the salesman’s desk at 7:30 am. Hopefully they have a solution.

 

[RCW]

You’re correct. I found subframe/quick hitch manual and they show the “driveline” as the same part but they show 2 kits one with an 11.5” output shaft and one with a 14 7/8”

Glad you found that. I was going to look later also...I had/have a picture of the manual with the 2 different lengths.

 

[Mowbizz]

Glad you found that. I was going to look later also...I had/have a picture of the manual with the 2 different lengths.

Just took the subframe off and put it in my truck along with the “drive” shaft.
Thankfully my dealer is 20 minutes away so the wife and I will pay them a visit then go out for breakfast!I will update what the outcome is…

 

[RCW]

Good idea to take the front hitch with you! I should have recommended that and failed you there…

I don’t recall exactly, but the pillow bearings are mounted differently if they do change the shorter driveshaft for the longer one. Not a big deal, but they can’t pull the 11” one out and slide the 14” one in. The pillow bearings get rotated also.

Literally a 5 minute alteration.

 

[RCW]

I found another thread with the BX2751 hitch, and the BX2752 or BX2753 mid-PTO's. Has pictures of manual.

You didn't say what your front hitch model # was, but I think it's pretty close? Not for a BX5455 blower, but I think hitches were about the same?

Bent mid PTO for snowblower | OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

EDIT - HERE'S ANOTHER.

BX2750D on BX1850 Mid PTO Shaft Size | OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

 

[Mowbizz]

I found another thread with the BX2751 hitch, and the BX2752 or BX2753 mid-PTO's. Has pictures of manual.

You didn't say what your front hitch model # was, but I think it's pretty close? Not for a BX5455 blower, but I think hitches were about the same?

Bent mid PTO for snowblower | OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

EDIT - HERE'S ANOTHER.

BX2750D on BX1850 Mid PTO Shaft Size | OrangeTractorTalks - Everything Kubota

The manual:
It’s a BX2751 hitch with BX2752 and BX2753 mid PTO kit…they gave me the BX2752 with the shorter shaft, I’m sure.
Hopefully they keep the one I bring back and give me a new (correct) one.
You say the shafts cannot just be swapped because of the bearings?
Thank you for your interest as well!

 

[Mowbizz]

Here’s the cover of the manual (printed from an email the sales guy sent me)

 

[RCW]

The manual:
It’s a BX2751 hitch with BX2752 and BX2753 mid PTO kit…they gave me the BX2752 with the shorter shaft, I’m sure.
Hopefully they keep the one I bring back and give me a new (correct) one.
You say the shafts cannot just be swapped because of the bearings?
Thank you for your interest as well!

The shafts can be swapped. It's just an issue where the bearings need to be rotated. Go back and look at the photos on the threads I linked.

The bearings are oriented one way for the short shaft, and another way for the long shaft.

Since I've always had a long shaft....never had any issues with orientation.......coff, coff...

Not a big deal. No new parts, etc. Just a simple thing.

 

[Mowbizz]

The shafts can be swapped. It's just an issue where the bearings need to be rotated. Go back and look at the photos on the threads I linked.

The bearings are oriented one way for the short shaft, and another way for the long shaft.

Since I've always had a long shaft....never had any issues with orientation.......coff, coff...

Not a big deal. No new parts, etc. Just a simple thing.

I will take another look…good to be armed with all the info when I go to the dealer…lol on the “long shaft orientation”

 

[Mowbizz]

Okay, I see that the rearmost bearing is flipped 180° so that the bolts face rearward while the forward-most bearing stays the same as the short shaft version. Doesn’t look like a big problem at all. Thanks for all your help my friend!

 

[Mowbizz]

Funny thing though…on the BX2753 “assembled view” on page 14 the rear bearing is flipped but on the “parts”diagram for it on page 27, it shows the bearings oriented the same (bolts/flanges facing frontward)
Curious…

 

[Mowbizz]

So…the “dilemma” is solved. This is after I drove myself to a sister dealer (1.5 hours) that had the “correct” mid PTO kits for my BX25d (as my local dealer had none. I spoke with the service mgr at the sister store and he knew what was going on as explained to him by my salesman over the phone. He brings out the kit and we open it and see that the 15” shaft is present. All that needs to happen is my dealer needs a service tech to uninstall the short shaft and install the correct shaft (and flip one of the bearings) I get back to my dealer and get the salesman to come look at the kit in my truck. I say get a guy out here and swap this out please…5 minute job.
Tech comes out and we’re all looking at whole quick hitch and it appears that the installed shaft is the same as the new shaft. WTF? I measure and it is the correct shaft INSTALLED INCORRECTLY!
(Shaft was installed to bx2752 specs with 5” of spline showing when it SHOULD have 8 3/8” showing per bx2753 specs. Tech said it might take some “heat” to unscrew the bearing set screws as they should HAVE RED LOCKTITE on them. Supposed to be doing it this afternoon. Crazy stuff! NEVER TRUST THEIR WORK! Very disappointing and I wasted over half a day to boot (and still have to go pick it up.

 

[Mowbizz]

Well the drama is over…the hitch and PTO kit are back in my garage….
NOW I can relax and wait for snow!